Monastery of Agia Triada Tzagarolon

The Monastery of Agia Triada Tzagarolon is located in Akrotiri peninsula, 15 km from the town of Chania and near the airport I. Daskalogiannis. This is one of the most important monasteries of the late Venetian occupation in Crete.

At the point where the monastery of the Holy Trinity Tzagarolon is built was formerly another smaller monastery, which was abandoned. In 1611 the Venetian authorities in Chania mandated the monk Jeremiah Tzagarolon (who came from a large family with Venetian Crete influence on all Christians in the region, both Orthodox and Catholics) its reconstruction. Jeremiah Tzagarolon decided to construct a larger monastic complex which he designed. This monk was the holder of Greek and Latin culture and had architectural knowledge for design and construction of the monastery and was influenced by the Italian architect of the 16th century Sebastiano Serlio (Sebastiano Serlio). After his death, around 1634, his work continued his brother Lawrence, who also was a monk, but stopped in 1645 when the Ottomans conquered Chania. During the Ottoman rule the monastery was known as Selvili Manastir (Monastery of cypresses). During the revolution of 1821, the monastery was burned down by the Ottomans and destroyed many relics that were in it. Nine years later the Ottoman authorities gave permission for the completion of the church in the monastery to the monks Kalliopio and Gregory. In 1864 the bell tower was built. From 1892 and for thirteen years existed in the monastery a school for priests and during the revolution of 1896-1897, the monastery was converted into a hospital and headquarters of the rebels. During World War II, the monastery was originally used by the Greeks for storing supplies and later, after the conquest of Crete by German troops, the Germans installed there in 1942, and the School of AAA and in 1944 150-200 troops. The Monastery of Holy Trinity Tzagarolon is a Patriarchal Monastery. The Monastery of Agia Triada Tzagarolon is a quadrilateral monastery complex with an inner courtyard with the church. The main entrance of a vaulted corridor leads to the inner courtyard of the convent. The church is built with ashlar stone in the architectural style of trikochou with a dome. The morphological elements, especially the decoration, links it with Western architecture. The iconostasis was built in 1836 and is carved and gilt, and most of the images allegedly are made by the painter Merkourio, from Santorini. In the church there are two chapels, the Zodochou Pigi and St. John the Theologian. In the courtyard next to the church, there is a small temple, the Savior Christ. On the west side of the complex there are cells of the monks, the wine cellars and the old oil-mill. Its library is located in the north while on the south are the osteofylakeio and an abbot. The church school that functioned in the late 19th 20th century in the monastery is housed on the east side of the complex.

It's only fair to share...